can't control cloudy water! PLEASE HELP!

[willowoak]

I started out having yellow algae, and used Flouc twice on two different occasions to resolve the problem, but to no avail. I have shocked my pool which is 12,500 gallons of water on three different ocassions within the last week. Now my water is cloudy, but NOT serverly enough to were you cannot see the bottom of it. I have left my vacum running in the pool overnight and all day today, but cloudiness is still there.
My readings are as follows for my test strips.
cyan. acid - 30-50
total alk - 40
ph - 7.2
free chlorine - 10 ppm
total chloring - 10 ppm
total hardiness - 250 ppm

what seems to be my problem here with the cloudiness?

[Guest]

I started out having yellow algae, and used Flouc twice on two different occasions to resolve the problem, but to no avail. I have shocked my pool which is 12,500 gallons of water on three different ocassions within the last week. Now my water is cloudy, but NOT serverly enough to were you cannot see the bottom of it. I have left my vacum running in the pool overnight and all day today, but cloudiness is still there.
My readings are as follows for my test strips.
cyan. acid - 30-50
total alk - 40
ph - 7.2
free chlorine - 10 ppm
total chloring - 10 ppm
total hardiness - 250 ppm

what seems to be my problem here with the cloudiness?

It seems to more filtration related because the chemistry side is okay except for the alcalinity. Run the filter 24h/day and backwash often and it should clear up in a few days. There's no need to shock or floc. The chlorine should dissipate in a few days.

Your total alk is a bit low, the 'norm' is 80 to 120 ppm, so the next time you're at the grocery store, Walmart, or other discount store get yourself about 7 pounds of baking soda and add it, in 4 doses of 1.75 pounds, morning and evening, the pool water. THis will take 4 days of course. 7 pounds will increase the total alk by 40 ppm thus bringing your alcalinity to the lower range of the norm. Test again and adjust.

[willowoak]

thank you very much for your help in this matter. I have left my automatic vacum running 24 hrs ofr the last 3 days now. now by clorine level and my free chlorine is down to 3 ppm, but my ph has also gone down (6.8). I will now try to adjust my ph as you mentioned previously with your recomendation using baking soda.

Again, Thanks for your help! Greatly appreciated..

[Guest]

thank you very much for your help in this matter. I have left my automatic vacum running 24 hrs ofr the last 3 days now. now by clorine level and my free chlorine is down to 3 ppm, but my ph has also gone down (6.. I will now try to adjust my ph as you mentioned previously with your recomendation using baking soda.

Again, Thanks for your help! Greatly appreciated..

Yes your alcalinity should rise, and so should your pH. Do report back in a few days with new test numbers.

Best regards,

[willowoak]

ok, I have left my filter running 24/7 now. My levels are now as follows:

hardiness: 250
total chlorine: 3
free chlorine: 3
total alk: 80
ph: 6.8
cyn acid: 100

I have added baking soda three times during this past weekend (2 cups at a time), and as you can see from my levels, I still cannot raise my ph balance. :(
What am I doing here that is not keeping up my ph balance. My water is cleared up a little, but is not crystal clear as is once was when I installed the pool.
I am new to this, with my pool only being 3 months old, so any help will be appreciated kindly.
:D

[Guest]

ok, I have left my filter running 24/7 now. My levels are now as follows:

hardiness: 250
total chlorine: 3
free chlorine: 3
total alk: 80
ph: 6.8
cyn acid: 100

I have added baking soda three times during this past weekend (2 cups at a time), and as you can see from my levels, I still cannot raise my ph balance.
What am I doing here that is not keeping up my ph balance. My water is cleared up a little, but is not crystal clear as is once was when I installed the pool.
I am new to this, with my pool only being 3 months old, so any help will be appreciated kindly.

Well the good news is that the alkalinity has risen 40 ppm to 80 ppm which is the lower end of the norm.

Now you need to go back to the pool store and purchase some pH+, it can be called pH+, pH increaser, sodium carbonate, or soda ash. You need to sprinkle about 850 grams (about a pound and a half) in the water all around, don't add it directly in one spot but spread it around everywhere, it'll dissolve instantly. Let the water circulate about 4 hours and retest. The pH should be about 7.5 at that point and should hold because you've adjusted the alkalinity.

As for the cloudy water you may need to perform a backwash on the filter. It may take a few days for the pool water to clear up. While at the pool store grab a box of skimmer socks too.

Best regards,